Ordinary Wise Men

Devotional

Day 1: Guided to Jesus: Willing to Follow

God delights to guide those who are willing to be led. The wise men remind you that God can move “stars,” circumstances, and people to get you where He wants you, but your part is a surrendered yes. Guidance is rarely the problem; willingness is. Ask Him to draw you closer, and expect Him to use Scripture, nudges of the Spirit, a friend at the gym, or an unexpected conversation to point the way. Ordinary people become part of an extraordinary story when they simply keep following the light they have. [29:53]

Matthew 2:1-2, 9-10
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, learned seekers from the east arrived asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw His star rise and came to honor Him.” After they left Jerusalem, the same light they’d seen before led them forward until it settled over the child’s location, and their hearts exploded with joy.

Reflection: Where have you sensed God gently nudging you lately, and what is one concrete step you can take this week to “go to Bethlehem” in response?

Day 2: Two Kings, One Allegiance

Herod trembled because a true King had arrived, and fear made him cling to his own throne. The gospel still confronts every rival to Jesus’ rule—status, politics, comfort, or control. Jesus does not come to fit into our kingdoms; He comes to lovingly take over. When fear rises, it is often a clue that we’re protecting territory that belongs to Him. Let your heart bow where your knees haven’t yet, trusting His reign as good and life-giving. [45:49]

Matthew 2:3-6, 16
When Herod heard about the birth, he and the whole city were shaken. He gathered scholars who confirmed that the promised ruler would come from Bethlehem. Pretending devotion, he sent the visitors on, hoping to find the child for himself. Later, realizing he’d been outwitted, he raged and ordered the killing of little ones in and around Bethlehem, trying to crush the King he could not control.

Reflection: What specific area of your life feels “protected territory,” and how might you invite Jesus’ good rule into that space this week?

Day 3: Knowing About Jesus vs. Knowing Him

Religious experts could quote the prophecy about Bethlehem, yet they wouldn’t walk six miles to see the Messiah for themselves. It is possible to be accurate about Scripture and still miss the Lord who authored it. Jesus invites you beyond information into encounter—prayer, repentance, obedience, and worship that moves your feet. Don’t stop at agreeing with the map; follow it to the King. Let your knowledge become a doorway to a living relationship today. [47:27]

Matthew 2:5-8
They answered, “In Bethlehem of Judea—this is what the prophet wrote.” Herod then met secretly with the travelers to learn when the star first appeared and sent them off saying, “Search carefully and report back so I can honor Him too,” though his intent was anything but worship.

Reflection: What is one “six-mile” step—from mere knowledge to encounter—you can take today (a conversation, a prayer of surrender, a specific act of obedience) to meet Jesus personally?

Day 4: Exceeding Joy and Humble Worship

The travelers arrived and were overwhelmed with joy—joy that made dignified people undignified. Real joy in Jesus outlasts wins and losses, outvotes politics, and outshines temporary thrills. They didn’t find a palace; they found a simple house and a real King, and they bowed low. Joy drove their worship, and worship deepened their joy—a holy cycle. Let your heart rise and your knees bend before the One no one can dethrone. [56:39]

Matthew 2:10-11
Seeing the star stop, they rejoiced beyond words. Entering the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary; they fell low to honor Him and opened their treasures, placing before Him gifts of gold, fragrant incense, and myrrh.

Reflection: When was the last time your joy in Jesus moved you to a tangible act of worship, and how might you plan one simple, joyful response this week?

Day 5: Open Your Treasure: Heart, Trust, and Generosity

They bowed and then opened their treasures; the heart turned first, the hands followed. God isn’t after amounts—He is after you. Your gold may be finances, time, encouragement, or courageous love. Like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, generous devotion can honor Jesus in costly moments and leave a legacy that outlives you. Offer Him your trust today, and let your giving—large or small—flow from a heart that belongs wholly to the King. [01:15:32]

John 19:38-42
After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body and, with Nicodemus, lovingly prepared Him for burial. They wrapped Him in linen with a great weight of myrrh and spices and laid Him in a new tomb nearby. Their courage, resources, and reverence gave honor to the crucified King.

Reflection: What is one specific, generous action—financial, relational, or time-based—you can take this week that would say to Jesus, “All that I am and all that I have I give to You”?

Sermon Summary

I read Matthew’s account of the Magi to remind us that God delights to guide hungry people. Those travelers didn’t have the right pedigree, language, or zip code, but they had desire—and God met desire with a star. Herod had soldiers, scholars, and scrolls; the scribes even quoted the right verse. But they wouldn’t walk six miles to Bethlehem. The Magi crossed deserts for a King they hadn’t yet seen. That contrast still stings: you can get the Bible right and miss Jesus if you refuse to move.

When the Magi finally arrived, they were “overjoyed”—loud, undignified joy. Joy reveals allegiance. If my loudest joy ignites over a score, a candidate, or a purchase, I’ve found my king, and it’s not Jesus. The Magi fell down and worshiped Him, then opened their treasures. Worship bows the heart before it opens the wallet. It isn’t the amount that impresses God; it’s the humility and trust. Gold for the true King. Frankincense for the Priest who brings us near. Myrrh for the One born to die—a scent that will show up again when Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus pack His broken body with costly spices. The manger already smelled like the cross.

We talked about opening our treasure chests—time, affection, resources, attention—as the natural outcome of seeing Jesus. God doesn’t need our money; He wants our hearts. But when He has our hearts, the chest opens. I shared Larry and Ellen’s story—a legacy gift that arrived years after Larry went to Jesus. No pressure or hype, just the beautiful echo of a life that settled this long ago: “All I am and all I have are Yours.” That kind of generosity feeds mission now, sponsors children, strengthens a church, and teaches whole families how to live open-handed.

If you’re far from God or you’ve been religious but not relational, this is your Bethlehem road. Seek Him, and you’ll find Him. Bow, and joy will find you. Open the chest, and you’ll discover He was never after your stuff—He was after you.

Key Takeaways

1. Hunger finds Jesus, not pedigree God meets real desire with real guidance. The Magi didn’t have the “right” background, but their hunger moved them across a continent—and God moved heaven to meet them. If you seek Him, you will find Him; if you keep distance, you’ll keep excuses. Your proximity to Jesus usually mirrors your willingness, not your résumé. [43:57]
2. Bible knowledge without relational knowing Herod’s scholars could quote Micah yet wouldn’t walk six miles to see the Child. It’s possible to master the text and miss the Person the text points to. Truth that doesn’t move your feet rarely moves your heart. Let Scripture become a door you actually walk through to meet Him. [47:59]
3. Joy reveals who your king is The Magi’s joy was unrestrained; their allegiance was obvious. Our loudest celebrations and deepest sacrifices expose what rules us—team, tribe, or true King. Re-center your delight where defeat is impossible: Christ will never be voted out, dethroned, or outscored. Let joy become a homing beacon back to Him. [61:48]
4. Worship opens the treasure chest They bowed before they gave; worship unlocked generosity. God isn’t angling for amounts—He’s after trust. When the heart yields, hands open, and gifts become love-notes rather than invoices. The real treasure He wants is you. [75:32]
5. God guides the willing heart Guidance isn’t God’s problem—willingness is ours. He can use stars, friends, detours, even dreams to shepherd us to Jesus. Say yes, and you’ll be surprised how often light shows up on your path. Obedience is usually where clarity begins. [29:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[21:28] - Wise men seek the King
[22:16] - Herod disturbed; Bethlehem prophecy
[23:04] - Bowed low, offered costly gifts
[29:53] - God guides; we must follow
[34:19] - Dan and Sherry: religion to relationship
[43:57] - Hungry hearts find Jesus
[45:49] - Two kings, two kingdoms
[47:07] - Knowing Scripture, missing Jesus
[56:39] - Exceeding joy versus lesser joys
[63:06] - Worship Jesus, honor Mary rightly
[63:55] - Opening our treasure chests
[67:30] - Larry’s legacy of generosity
[70:45] - Myrrh at the manger and the tomb
[93:14] - Prayer ministry and next steps

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Matthew 2:1-12

Observation questions

In Matthew 2, what kinds of guidance show up in the story itself? Identify the star (vv. 2, 9-10), the Scripture quoted (Micah 5:2 in v. 6), and the dream (v. 12). How do these different “lights” work together to get them to Jesus?
Notice the order when the Magi arrive: “They bowed down… They worshiped… They opened their treasures.” What might Matthew be highlighting by this sequence? [23:04]
What contrast does the passage give between those who traveled far and those who knew the right verse but stayed put? How does the line “they wouldn’t walk six miles to see if that was Jesus” sharpen that contrast? [47:07]
How is their joy described? Consider that “overjoyed” could be translated as extremely loud, overflowing joy. What does that detail add to the scene? [56:39]

Interpretation questions

What does the contrast between the Magi and the scholars suggest about the difference between information and encounter—between “getting the Bible right” and actually meeting Jesus? [47:59]
“I’ll tell you who your king is by who you celebrate… and by who you sacrifice for.” How does joy function as a kind of “allegiance detector” in everyday life? [01:01:30]
Why does humble worship often unlock generosity? Reflect on the line, “They bowed… then opened their treasures.” What does that reveal about trust, love, and giving? [01:03:35]
“It’s not on [God’s] part that is the problem with guidance; it’s on our part being willing to follow.” Why does willingness often come before clarity, and how does obedience create more light on the path? [29:53]

Application questions

Where is your “six-mile” walk right now—an act of obedience you already know to do but haven’t moved on yet? What specific step could you take this week to walk it out? “They wouldn’t walk six miles to see if that was Jesus.” [47:07]
Joy reveals allegiance. If someone watched your last month of celebrations, purchases, posts, and passions, who would they say your king is? What is one way you can re-center joy on Jesus this week? “I’ll tell you who your king is by who you celebrate.” [01:01:30]
Before giving anything, bow first. What simple worship habit could you practice daily (song, thanks, silence, Scripture) so your heart bows before your hands open? “They bowed… they worshiped… they opened their treasures.” [23:04]
Guidance often meets a willing yes. Where do you sense God inviting a fresh yes—relationship repair, serving, forgiving, giving, changing a habit? Name one yes you will offer Him this week. “He will move heaven and earth to get you where he wants you to be.” [29:53]
The manger already smelled like the cross. What is one “myrrh-like” act—costly love, hidden service, sacrificial forgiveness—you can offer Jesus this week? “They packed him with… myrrh.” [01:10:45]
Open the chest in practical ways. Which “treasure” do you sense Jesus inviting first—time, attention, affection, or resources? What is one concrete action you’ll take (calendar block, conversation, budget line, letter to a sponsored child)? “God’s not interested in our money. He’s interested in our heart.” [01:15:08]
Move from religious to relational. If you’ve “known about” God more than you’ve known Him, what is your Bethlehem road right now? What will you do this week to seek, bow, and open—so you actually meet Him? “To move from being religious and knowing about God to having a personal relationship—that’s when it becomes meaningful.” [35:31]

Sermon Clips

I'd say you got the wrong king here buddy
They didn't bow down to Herod when they came
They didn't give Herod gifts
Let me tell you something
Your college team wins or loses and that affects your joy you're in trouble
You better find something bigger
If your politics robs your joy when you're candid you better find something bigger
You better find a God that'll never be beaten that'll never be defeated that'll never be thrown off the throne

Light it up again Jesus
Start the fire again
Let me go back to where I was when I met you in the darkness the despair the emptiness the lostness
No purpose
No sense of being loved
No sense of God's destiny for my life
And I found Christ

Bottom line is nobody knows but God revealed to them because they were hungry
And that's just the principle I get from that
If you want to find Jesus he will be found
If you don't want to find Jesus you probably won't find him
If you seek for more of Jesus you're going to find more
Some people will say I don't know you know I don't know
You're as close to God as you want to be right now
If you want to be closer just say Lord I want to be closer
Help guide me

I'm not saying he had the Bible right but he would have said yeah I believe Moses parted the Red Sea
He probably would have believed in the virgin birth
He probably would have believed in Christ coming in the form of a man
But that doesn't mean he knew Jesus
You can get the Bible right and miss Jesus
You can have all I've met people some of the meanest people I've ever met knew the Bible from cover to cover
But they didn't know the God that wrote the Bible
They didn't know the heart of the God that wrote the Bible

I'd been religious but I didn't know Jesus personally
That begins when you see him as they saw Jesus and they worshipped him
They began they went home with a personal relationship
They followed a star to get there
They walked home with a king
It's not about the star
It's not about how you get to Jesus

He put them in the sky and they'll go where he tells them to go
What I learned from that is God can do however he wants to get us where he wants us to go
He'll send you somebody that'll help you find your way
I prayed with a mother earlier in the early service whose son's living in a different country and going through an extremely difficult time
She can't get near him
She can't get to him
And I just said to her God's arm is not short that he can't reach out to where your son is

If you give him your time your money blah blah blah he doesn't want that if he doesn't have your heart
He wants your heart
Open your treasure
You say well I don't have gold
I don't have frankincense
I don't have myrrh
But you have love and trust
And when you say Jesus I trust you that's the gift that he's looking for

They worshipped Him
They respected Her
But you don't worship Her
You don't pray to Her
Nowhere in the Bible does anybody ever pray to Mary
It's off limits
You don't pray to anyone else either other than Jesus the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit
And they worshipped
They respected
Mary's blessed among all women
But she's not my mediator

Probably not but they knew enough to know I'm not going empty handed to the king
You know who your king is by what you rejoice in and you know who your king is by looking at your checkbook

Whether he sends a star or whether he sends an old preacher or whether he sends somebody on the radio or he sends something that you read or a friend in the gym or somebody that points you to Jesus
So these we don't know if there are three of them
We don't know their names
We don't know where they're from

Don't feel guilty if you've been successful because if you've been successful and know it was all God then you honor God
You praise God and you're a steward of what he's given you
Some of us maybe don't have as much because God can't trust us
For some of us to be wealthy may ruin us
I'm just saying some of you weren't built to have a lot of money because you may walk away from Jesus
It's a big test to have a lot of money

God will and he hears your cries don't give up
He'll send whatever it takes to get
Some of you were here this morning and if you explained how you ended up here it'd be discomparable to a star led you here
No it might have been a star at the gym
It might have been a star at a restaurant
It might have been a star

But when your best friend since second grade who's been lost without Jesus comes and finds Christ that's why we ring the bell here
You wonder why do they ring that bell

They saw the child
Feel it
Stop
Absorb it
They've walked a thousand miles
Who knows the thieves and the bandits and the heartaches and the challenges to get to this moment
This is the moment
They didn't see any royalty
There's no throne
There's no
King Herod has got the royalty
They saw his palace

I love that concept of having a treasure chest
They came pre planned
They didn't just get to church and go oh yeah it's the offering
What do I got
Oh let me throw this
Let me give God a little leftover tip
And though He'll be impressed with it
Let me help you
God's not impressed with anything you give if it's not given with humility and faith

You know the average vineyard pastor never teaches on giving and never mentions it
That's not a good pastor because it's not discipling the people to say part of recognizing Jesus as king is that Jesus gets your treasures and your time and your talents and your worship and your affection but he gets your treasure open

These were just ordinary wealthy wise people
They're just ordinary
Broken struggled in their marriages
Kids go astray
Money doesn't make your kids behave
Fame doesn't make your kids behave
You see that on the news this past week
Making big movies pastoring a big church having a lot of money that make your health be better

They still need Jesus
Being successful doesn't mean you have a Savior
Being smart and wise doesn't mean you know Jesus
And I love the fact that in our church we love and care for people that have come from brokenness poverty failure and we have people that are very much successful in their world

But they wouldn't walk six miles to see if that was Jesus
Now think about that principle
You have a few men that have traveled thousands of miles that aren't Jewish
that aren't as up on the Bible as these guys are
They get the Bible right but they miss Jesus

Listen I'll tell you who your king is by who you celebrate
I'll tell you who your king is by who you sacrifice for
Look at these guys
They're overjoyed
They're losing their mind
They're so happy

God's not interested in our money
He's interested in our heart
The treasure chest wasn't open
without the key to their hearts
You can't get it

Some of you are just learning to financially steward your money and you're not able to give like you'd like to yet
God's not mad at you but he wants to teach you how to trust him
He wants to teach you to stretch your faith

I mean I just felt the presence of God just you know if you ever commit that Lord I want you to guide me he will move heaven and earth to get you where he wants you to be
So it's not on his part that is the problem with guidance

And we're people that can say not lightly but because we walk through it you're going to make it
You can get through it
You can overcome
And when you do you're going to want to just open your treasure

Here's the question God could say to these three wise men
Can I trust you with more
Because they went home
What witnesses they must have been in a pagan world about King Jesus
What did Joseph of Arimathea end up doing
What did Nicodemus
Could God trust them

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